Pilings, particularly those in marine environments, are subjected to deterioration from a variety of causes including marine life, constant exposure to water, pollution, and the like. While this deterioration is most noticable in wood piles, it is equally a problem, over extended periods of time, in piling of other material, including concrete, steel, etc.
This deterioration of marine piling is well known and has resulted in substantial efforts directed toward their repair, normally executed under extremely adverse conditions. As an example, it has been proposed that the piling be enclosed within a sheet or flexible barrier, note the following three patents issued to O. E. Liddell:
U.S. Pat. No. 3,139,731, July 7, 1964; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,177,667, Apr. 13, 1965; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,321,924, may 30, 1967. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,374, Colbert et al, May 17, 1977; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,068,483, Papworth, Jan. 17, 1978; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,116,013, Hellmers, Sept. 26, 1978. PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,677,165, Copenhaver et al, May 4, 1954; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 2,836,874, Clarkson, June 3, 1958; PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,751,096, Cannon et al, Aug. 7, 1973.
Another manner of protecting marine piling, more closely associated with the present invention, is the formation about a pile of a concrete sleeve or sheath formed within a casing or mold assembled about the pile in situ. Note, as an example, the following:
The casings or molds used in such procedures have normally been relatively elaborate structures of plastic or metal, particularly formed to enclose and lock about a pile through the use of specifically defined hardward.